The reinbach fall rewind
by lealover1
Summary: Nine months ago Sherlock committed suicide in front of his best friend after his reputation was destroyed by the press. Today Anthea decided to show them the truth with the help of a few cameras that recorded a certain meeting. Lestrade's division and John is invited to watch.


AN: So this is story I wrote quickly in honour of one of my best friends birthdays. I love you Emilia and hope that you will enjoy this present.

To everyone else, I appologize if the language is strange, english is not my first language. I do not own any of the characters or the script.

* * *

DI Lestrade was sitting behind his desk, filling out the last of the report from the latest crime scene while drinking his usual cup of coffee.

"Lestrade, this just came in", Sally Donovan knocked on the open door as she spoke and Greg looked up to see her holding a video tape.

"I will look at it later."

"I think you want to look at it now, a woman claims that it is of utter important that you watch it as soon as possible, said it had to do with an unsolved murder."

"Excuse me?" Lestrade dropped his pen and looked up surprised, his rapport forgotten.

"Her words, not mine."

"Where is she? And who is it?"

"I left her with Anderson in our main integration room, Morgan have already hunted down the tv. For the moment we have no idea of who she is and she refused to talk to anyone other than you."

"Well, get back to her and inform her I will be there soon… and Donovan, if this is a joke you are on desk duty for the next month."

"Of course", she walked out of his office and disappeared around the corner. He sunk his head into his hands and rubbed his tired eyes with a sight before he stood up to follow her. Most of the people avoided him now days as soon as he went outside from his office, something they had done that since the whole affair with one Mr. Sherlock Holmes. The only one not avoiding him was his team. He stopped a second outside the door to gather himself before he went in.

Without looking at the woman he knew would sit in one of the chairs, he sat down in a chair in front of a table before he turned his head on the female. She was beautiful, there was no reason to deny that and judging by her cloths, a white blouse with a black straight skirt and a matching blazer over and a pair of high heeled black shoes, a woman who was a receptionist or a PA. He didn't know what he had expected from a woman clamming to have a tape of an unsolved murder but it was not this, she certainty didn't look like someone who would have something like that.

"You wanted to talk with me, so talk." he instructed and looked her right in the eye, the woman seemed to roll her eyes but didn't say a word. "Who are you?"

"No one of your concern, it would be for your best wellbeing to let me walk out of here. My boss won't be particularly happy to find me here."

"Who is your employer then?"

"The British government." Strangely enough she seemed to think that her answer was funny if her lips that turned upwards was anything to go by.

"Funnily enough I also work for the British government, now what is your employers name?"

"You misunderstood me; I work for _The_ British government."

"Why won't you talk to me? You asked after me but haven't given my any answers", Lestrade sighed and crossed his arm in front of his chest.

"As I told Anderson everything will be answered if you watch the video, I'm not needed." Lestrade groaned irritated before he turned around.

"Play it." He ordered tiredly, after working with Sherlock for so long he knew when he was fighting a lost battle; that of course didn't mean that he dit not usually try to win.

"You can't play it yet. John needs to see this", said the woman in a bored voice as she inspected her nails.

"When you say John I suppose you mean John Watson?" Lestrade asked as he couldn't think of any other John, and the woman nodded.

"Watson, but I don't…"

"Anderson, just call John. Say that it is urgent and we need his help. And do it now." Lestrade barked and Anderson almost flew out the door.

"Can I go now?"

"Of course not, you have a tape to show us." Lestrade smiled big, showing all his teeth, without a care at the scowling woman

…

It was half an hour later that John showed up at the police station with Mrs. Hudson behind him.

"Greg, what is going on? I was lunching with Mrs Hudson," John explained Mrs Hudsons presence when he saw the looks his landlady was getting.

"We got a tape today concerning an unsolved murder, your presence was requested."

"You know I don't do these things anymore", grouched John with an raised eyebrow but he still followed the detective inspector into the room that now was filled with Lestrade's entire team, and to his surprise DI Dimmock. Only one chair was left in the crowded room and John politely hold it out for Mrs. Hudson.

"Well, lady. You have everyone you wanted here. Play the tape." John looked at Lestrade not knowing who he was talking to before he looked around the room and gaped when he saw the woman in front of the tv, he couldn't for his life understand how he could have missed that she was in the room.

"Anthea? What are you doing here?"

"Hello John", for the first time the woman smiled. "Held captured, I believe."

"Wait, you know each other?"

"She kidnapped me the same day I meet Sherlock." Everyone turned alarmed to the woman apparently named Anthea and a few of the officers rested their hands on the butt

of their guns.

"Just doing my job", she smiled. "And you did get in to the car willingly, John."

"Wait a second here. Exactly who are you?"

"The PA to England's most powerful man. You can relax, her job entertain to keep England safe." Still looking at Anthea suspiciously the officers sat down, for now taking Johns words for the truth.

"Time to watch the video, I pray that you are not waisting our time or you will be fined for this", Lestrade threatened as he pressed play.

 **The screen flickered to life and showed a roof with a man in a typical smart suit and overcoat and with his hair slicked back calmly sitting on the raised ledge at the edge of the building with his phone in his hand.**

"Hey, isn't that Richard Brook?" Anderson asked. "The guy Holmes hired."

"Yes, yes it is." John swallowed nervously, he of course knew that it was Moriarty;

Sherlock would never make anything like that up. If he just knew where Moriarty where now; maybe he would be able to catch him and clear Sherlock's name.

"Whatever happened to him by the way?" one of the officers questioned. "He just seemed to disappear after that."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Anthea. What are we watching, seriously, what?"

"You will see soon, John."

 **They could all hear The Bee Gees "Staying´ Alive" streaming out from it. He was looking forward, seemingly not looking at anything at all and didn't even react when the sound of someone closing a door was heard.**

"What is he waiting for?"

"Oh I don't know; it can be anything, maybe for a person to show up." John answered sarcastically while he rolled his eyes, how was he supposed to know what was going to happen. It wasn't like he was there.

 **"Ah, here we are at last –**

"Who is he talking to? Why can't we see the other person?"

"Morgan, just be quiet for now", groaned Sally.

 **you and me, Sherlock."**

Every single person in the room gasped in surprise, everyone except Anthea.

"Don't get your hopes up. It can be anyone named Sherlock… uh, scratch that… but it doesn't have to be what you think it, don't get your hopes up."

"Anthea?"

"All I say is that everyone in here will learn a new truth today."

 **And our problem – the Final problem." He holds his phone higher up in the air. "Staying Alive!" in the meantime Sherlock has come into the view of the unseen camera and walking in front of Moriarty.**

"How is this possible? He's dead. We saw his body, our witnesses all say they saw him jump." To say that Lestrade was confused and chocked was an understatement. Mrs. Hudson burst into tears as she saw the polite (when he wanted to), sweet young man she once had known and cared about, who she still cared about.

"No, no. This isn't real. I saw him jump. Watched him die", John mumbled and Donovan looked at him sadly, she may have detested Sherlock before but to take his life in front of John was the lowest thing's he ever done.

"When was this video made?" Lestrade sighted, if this was newly made video and Sherlock actually was alive, he would find Sherlock and kill him for putting John through all this, but he immediately dismissed that thought. There was no way that Sherlock has survived that fall, and if he by some miracle would have someone should have known by now, hell they would have known the same day.

"I made it a few days ago." Everyone turned quickly around and stared at the serious woman.

"You made it… he's alive!" cried John and looked desperately at Anthea.

"I made the video a few days ago, but the footage is months old. This is before the fall… and he will never die, I believe that Sherlock's memory will continue to live on." She never wished so much that she could relieve a secret as she did in this moment seeing John so desperate hopeful, but if she did everything could be lost and she could be jeopardizing Sherlock's life more. Doing this was more than enough risky.

 **"It's so boring, isn't it?" he asks before en angrily switches the phone off.**

"Okay, it isn't my favorite song, but I wouldn't call the song boring… not really no…"

"Just shut up Morgan, before I hit you."

 **"It's just…"he raise his hand and holds it out flat with the palm down and skims it slowly through the air level of the roof. "… staying." He pulls his hand back and briefly sinks his head into as Sherlock continue to pace around the roof.**

"I don't know how you feel but I rather like to live. But that just me", Anderson pointed out.

 **"All my life I've been searching for distractions. You were the best distraction and now I don't even have you. Because I've beaten you." Sherlock's head turns sharply towards him, without stopping his pace.**

Mrs. Hudson sniffled and smiled sadly, Sherlock wouldn't like to hear that. Oh no, no one beat Sherlock Holmes, he was always at least three steps ahead of everyone, and when you thought you had cached up he was two steps behind you, lurking in the dark.

 **"And you know what?" he continues without looking at the other man. "In the end it was easy."**

"I bet he didn't like to hear that."

"Why would he? Being brilliant was one of the few things he had. Enough people were already mocking and bulling him for it", John's voice was cold as ice and he glared at Anderson and Donovan while Anthea bit back a smile, it was nice seeing someone defend Sherlock.

 **Sherlock finally stops a bit from Moriarty and folds his hands behind his back.**

"He isn't going to say anything?" Donovan was surprised; he always had things to say.

"He is interested in what he has to say, he is just going to wait until he has the right opportunity", John shakes his head. "Trust me; I have seen these two interact once before. It wasn't pretty." He didn't mention that he had a bomb strapped to his chest that time, somehow it didn't seem important.

 **"It was easy", the other man says in an quiet disappointed voice. "Now I've got to go back to playing with the ordinary people. And it turns out you're ordinary just like all of them."**

"Oh Sherlock may be much, but ordinary is not one of them." Mrs. Hudson smiled. "Shooting at my walls, fights inside the apartment, never cleaning up after him, strange experiments with body parts…"

"Tell me why you rented to him again." Lestrade asked a bit amused.

"Oh, he helped me in Florida when my husband had a death sentence…"

"And I guess he got him off from it", Anderson sneered while John hided his snort.

"Don't be silly, he made sure that they went through with it. He was such a dear, always looking out for me." Her words chocked everyone, first for that she was grateful to Sherlock for making sure her husband got executed, then for saying that he was looking out for her. After all, he didn't care about anyone other than himself.

"Soon will everyone see that fact, and they will regret how they acted against him." mumbled Anthea and shook her head slightly.

 **Once again he lowers his head and rubs his face before for the first time looking up at Sherlock. "Ah well." He nearly sings while he stands up and walks closer before he starts to pace slowly around the world's only consulting detective. "Did you almost start to wonder if I was real? Did I nearly get you?"**

"What in the world is he talking about?"

"Oh I'm sure you will find out soon DI Lestrade, and remember this is before the fall."

"Of course. But I wasn't aware of this, why didn't Sherlock tell me?" John mumbled quietly to himself, trying to figure out when this meeting had happened.

 **"Richard Brook." Is the only thing Sherlock has to say, and he says it without looking at the other man, finding the view of the city more interesting.**

John closed his eyes when he for the first time in nine months heard his dead friend's voice.

"John, are you okay?" Mrs. Hudson placed her hand on John's elbow.

"No. But I will be someday, don't worry. It's just hard seeing him again even if it just is a video."

 **"Nobody seems to get the joke, but you do", he says in a dejected ton while he starts on his second round around Sherlock.**

All the officers looked at each other confused. What joke? What had they missed?

 **"Of course", Sherlock's voice told everyone that he was slightly bored with the conversation.**

"Great, he's bored. That means stupid risks and saying stupid things. Perfect." John groaned low and Lestrade, who heard him, smiled in understanding.

 **"Attaboy",**

 **Sherlock continue without caring that Jim had interrupted him. "Rich Brook in German is Reichen Bach – the case that made my name."**

"What does that mean? It can't be a coincidence can it?"

"Of course it isn't a coincidence." Mrs. Hudson snorted. "It just means that Sherlock was telling the truth."

"The truth? The truth about what?"

"Goodness, sometimes I think Sherlock was right Anderson, you do lower everyone's IQ."

"John, there is no need to be rude", exclaimed Mrs. Hudson and Anderson smiled grateful, but she wasn't finished yet. "Sometimes the truth is better left alone." Everyone gaped at the usefully calm and nice old lady. "Close your mouth's dears. You will catch flies." Anthea couldn't help it; she burst out in giggles.

"Thank you so much Mrs. Hudson for that. It was perfect." Everyone smiled at the woman, some a bit surprised at how ease she seemed now. "I wish Sherlock could have seen this", without noticing how everyone else sobered up she began to plan on the easiest way to get the tapes in the recorder to show Sherlock what his dear landlady had said.

 **"Just trying to have some fun", Jim says in a fake American accent, all while he continue to pace around Sherlock and looks down at his hands to see that Sherlock is beating out a rhythm with his fingers. "Good. You got that too."**

Everyone raised an eyebrow, completely lost. What had he got? He was just playing with his fingers, wasn't he?

 **"Beats like digits. Every beat is a one; every rest is a zero. Binary code.**

"If anyone ask what kind of code that it, I won't hesitate to hurt that person", John patience was wearing thin now.

 **That's why all those assassins tried to save my life.**

"Excuse me?"

"Don't worry about that Greg. It's a long story for another day. I'm sure the answer is on my blog anyway."

 **It was hidden on me: hidden inside my head – a few simple lines of computer code that can break into any system." While he was speaking, whoever that had control over the camera chose to zoom in his face.**

"Who has control over the camera?"

"For god's sake, Morgan! We don't know more than you do!"

"He seems to know more than us", Morgan nodded at John.

"He lived with the freak, is that really a surprise?" John gritted his teeth when he heard Donovan's resort.

"For your information, I zoomed in. We have cameras everywhere in London, hence the reason till that we are able to watch this." Explained Anthea, of course they usually didn't have cameras on roofs but some buildings was exceptions, as the ones Sherlock was likely to visit.

 **"I told all my clients: last one to Sherlock is a sissy."**

"Is it only me, or are they trying to prove that they are smarter than each other?"

"Of course they do that. Both of them are brilliant, one of them just choose to use his gift for good things."

 **Sherlock pointed to his head and took a step forward. "Yes, but now that it's up here, I can use it to alter all the records.**

"That doesn't sound very good does it? How do we know that he didn't change anything before he died?" one of the guy's in the back asked.

 **I can kill Rich Brook and bring back Jim Moriarty."**

"He stills on about that. It was he who hired an actor for god's sake."

"He didn't", John's voice was soft. "Everything he has done was real. He didn't hire anyone. Moriarty existed and he tried to kill us. He was even around when we had our first case together. He controlled the cabbie that killed those people. He was controlling the bombs. Whatever we did, it always came back to Moriarty. Believe what you want, but Sherlock is not a fraud."

"How can you be so sure?" demanded Lestrade.

"He knew things about me you shouldn't be able to know. Just by a glance. If he was a fraud, how could he deduct things about you? But it hardly matters now, he's dead and that guy", he pointed at Jim Moriarty, "Is about to tell you the truth. Mark my words."

 **Jim gazes at him for a moment before he turns away with a very disappointed look in his face. "No, no, no, no, no, this is too easy." Jim complains while he buries his head in his hands once again before he lowers them and turns back to Sherlock.**

 **"There is no key, DOOFUS!"**

"Wow, he got problems. Did you see his face?"

"That what you would notice. Didn't anybody catch the fact that he didn't deny being Moriarty? He is Moriarty and this is real, they don't even know that someone is filming them."

"But if Moriarty truly do exists…"

"It also means that Sherlock is innocent", Mrs. Hudson smiled sorrowfully. "The poor boy has always been misunderstood. I hope this affair of him being a fraud can end now."

"I don't understand this; you said this was an unsolved murder."

"Would you have watched it if I said what it was about, DI Lestrade?" Anthea asked with a raised eyebrow. "Beside, a murder will be brought up sooner or later in this video."

 **The screen one again shows both of them and Jim throws his hand in the air.**

 **"Those digits are meaningless. They're utterly meaningless." Confused Sherlock looks at him but don't interrupt him, he will get his answers sooner or later.**

"He's confused!" Lestrade's voice was slightly awed.

"He is speaking with the world's only consulting criminal."

"You mean that they are two of them." Anthea smiled, wishing to see her reaction to knowing that Mycroft exist.

"Was two, Sherlock's dead remember?" John glared at Donovan. "One criminal and one detective, who is trying to catch the criminal, you can figure out the rest by yourself."

 **"You don't really think a couple of lines of computer code are gonna crash the world around our ears? I'm disappointed."**

"He does have Mycroft as a brother, and he is the British government. I think that if Mycroft and Sherlock worked together they would have been able to do that", John mused out loud.

"He has a brother?"

"With very much power and was very protective of Sherlock even if he didn't show it."

"His brother... is he, you know like Sherlock?"

"If you wonder if he also can deduct things about you, then yes. They always do, did that to each other whenever they had the unfortunate luck to meet."

"So there were three of them." Lestrade whispered, just a slight bit afraid.

"Of course, one consulting criminal, one consulting detective and England's most powerful man, the three smartest gentlemen in Great Britain."

 **"I'm disappointed in you", his voice almost sounded desperate before it become manic as he turned around and started walk like a robot. "Ordinary Sherlock."**

 **"But the rhythm…" Sherlock stated confused.**

 **"Partita number one, Thank you, Johann Sebastian Bach." Jim throws his hand in the air one again.**

"He likes to be dramatic I see", Morgan commented.

 **"But then how did…"**

 **"Then how did I break into the bank?" Jim raises his voice to overpower Sherlock's. "to the Tower, to the Prison?"**

"Something we all want to know, take notes", Lestrade put his own pen against his notebook, ready to jot down the new information.

 **"Daylight robbery. All it takes is some willing participants. I knew you'd fall for it. That's your weakness –" Jim points at Sherlock as he steps closer.**

"He has ha weakness!"

"Had. He had a weakness." John protested softly.

 **You always want everything to be clever.**

"Never thought of it that way, I guess he did have a weakness."

 **Now, shall we finish the game? One final act.**

"What is he talking about, John dear?" Mrs. Hudson's voice was concerned and she gripped her handkerchief.

 **Glad you chose a tall building – nice way to do it."**

"Do what?" John's voice was suspicious.

 **Sherlock who had been staring blankly into the distance all the while Jim talked snapped out of it and sounded bewildered as he spoke. "Do it? Do – do what?" He blinks once as if it becomes clearer to him and he turns towards Jim. "Yes, of course. My suicide."**

"You mean it wasn't a suicide!" Donovan gasped, she may hate Sherlock but he was still a civilian.

"Yes it was. He was alone. He talked to me in the phone. Beside, Moriarty has nothing on him that would make Sherlock jump", John protested loudly, this couldn't be true. Anthea smiled sadly, no one seemed to realize exactly how much Sherlock's friends meant to him, not even John.

 **"Genius detective proved to be a fraud. I read it in the paper, so it must be true. I love newspapers. Fairytales." While Jim spoke Sherlock chose to walk closer to edge of the roof and leaned forward, looking over the side to the ground below.**

"He has a point, as soon anyone read anything in the newspaper it means that it is true", a young woman in her twenties pointed out, she was fairly new on the team, having only worked there for about two years.

 **Jim walked up to stand beside him and looked over the side down at the street as well. "And pretty Grimm ones too." He turned his head and looked ominously at Sherlock. Sherlock turned toward Jim and glared at him.**

"Never seen him glare like that before." Lestrade chuckled,

"Glaring is boring",

"How did you know he would say something like that?" John turned toward the woman who shrugged.

"I spoke to him a few times, that seemed to be his reaction to normal things."

 **"I can still prove that you created an entirely false identity."**

"Why didn't he? He would be alive now if he did." John almost begged the words. Anything, he would do anything if it meant that Sherlock would come back alive.

"Everything is explained in here. You will finally get your answers John",

 **"Oh, just kill yourself. It's a lot less effort." Jim sounds wearily exasperated and looks down once again while Sherlock turns away and start to pace distractedly.**

"But it's ordinary. Sherlock doesn't do ordinary",

"We also never believed he would take his life", Lestrade pointed out and John couldn't help but look at Donovan and Anderson who huffed annoyed.

"We, I have never said anything like that." Exclaimed Donovan irritated. "I stand for that I did say that he would put a body on a crime scene one day and let an innocent person take the punishment."

"And look at that, you were right. He did put a body on a scene. It just was his own." John sneered.

"Oh come on, you know how he was. Delighted when a body turned up, boasting on how smart he was. It was only a matter of time before he snapped." Anderson defended Donovan.

"How is that different from what you do? You solve murders and get paid, Sherlock solved them and didn't have to be bored instead."

 **"Go on. For me. Pleeeeease?"**

 **Before anyone can blink Sherlock grabs Jim by the collar of his coat with both hands and spins him around so that Jim's back is to the drop in one sudden movement. Sherlock stares into his face and then shoves him back one step nearer the edge.**

"I did so not see that coming",

"See, he is unstable!"

"Give Sherlock some slack. The guy is telling him to take his life. I think everyone would react strongly to that."

 **A bit surprised Jim looks at him with newfound interest as Sherlock's breathing becomes shorter. "You're insane", he says heavily and Jim blinks.**

 **"You're just getting that now?"**

"He asks that now? When his life is literally in Sherlock's hands. The stupidity of young these days." Mrs. Hudson shook her head.

 **Sherlock shoves him even further back and is now holding him over the edge and Jim whoops almost triumphantly while he gazes back at Sherlock, not an inch of fear in his eyes and holds his hands out wide, not even trying to fight, instead committing himself to Sherlock's grasp.**

"He's right. That guy is insane."

 **"Okay, let me give you a little extra incentive." He says and Sherlock frowns when Jim's voice become more savage**

"How would he be able to give extra incentive?"

 **"Your friends will die if you don't"**

"Like that will work", Donovan snorted. "The freak doesn't have friends."

"Funnily enough he said the same thing to me, he just ended it with 'I just got one'", John glared at Donovan.

"Um, guys, stop fighting and look at his eyes."

 **Fear had begun to creep into Sherlock's eyes. He forms words with his mouth that no one can hear before he at last makes a sound, now a name available for everyone to hear. "John."**

John sighted, he had waited for this moment a while now. Sure some part of him had always doubted if Sherlock would be willing to sacrifice his own life for him and he guessed that he now had his answer. The knowledge didn't make him a bit happy.

 **"Not just John", Jim raises his eyebrows, still holding his hand's up in the air as if the police have asked him to do show them, he lowers his voice and in a whisper utter the next word. "Everyone."**

 **"** Who more could it possible be?" whispered Dimmock surprised.

 **"Mrs. Hudson", Sherlock whispers and blinks.**

 **"** His landlady, oh come on", everyone in the room slowly turned to woman in the back who had spoken and now was blushing furiously.

"Mrs. Hudson was one of very few who cared about Sherlock and didn't want anything back", Anthea spoke up and Mrs Hudson smiled.

"He have always been a dear to me. I will never forget how angry he was when that american attacked me."

"Are we talking about the man who fell out of the window a few times", Lestrade asked suspiciously as Mrs Hudson only gave him a smile in response.

 **Jim shakes his head slightly. "Everyone", he says again in a whisper but also an delighted smile on his lips.**

 **"Lestrade." This time the name he says it louder, like ha has found his voice again, but the tone is slightly dejected.**

 **"** Me. Why me? I haven't…"

"No you haven't been a friend towards him lately. God knows why, but he considered you his friend", John glared at the detective inspector.

 **"Three bullet", Jim whispers delighted. "three gunmen; three victims. There's no stopping them now." Furiously Sherlock pull Jim back upward to safety, all the while once again breathing heavily and looking forward without really seeing. Jim stares into his face. "Unless my people see you jump."**

 **Sherlock continue to gaze past him and appearing lost in horror, trying to stop breathing so heavily. Jim shake himself free from the consulting detective's grasp and smiles triumphantly.**

"I can't believe it. You mean he took his life to protect you", Donovan gasped. "No, I may not like him but he would never give up that easily. Never."

 **"You can have me arrested; you can torture me; you can do anything you like with me;**

"Is it just me or did that sound a little like he flirted with him?" asked Morgan and tilted his head.

 **But nothing's gonna prevent them from pulling the trigger. Your only three friends in the world will die… unless…**

 **"… unless I kill myself – complete your story."**

"I would be shaking in my boots by that time. I don't get how Sherlock can appear to be so composed", Dimmock shock his head.

 **Jim nods and smiles ecstatically. "You've gotta admit that's sexier."**

 **"And I die in disgrace", Sherlock's gaze is distant and lost while he speaks.**

 **"Of course! That's the point of this." Jim looks at Sherlock like he stupid while he says that before he looks over the side and sees that someone has stopped at the benches near the bus stop below them."**

"Now he know how we feel every time he speak to us like we are stupid", Anderson mumbled.

"Oh, shut it. This is not the time", John hissed and clenched his fists.

 **"Oh, you've got an audience now. Off you pop", he rolls his head from side to side. "Go on." He urge and Sherlock reluctantly steps past him and up onto the ledge.**

"This is so wrong", the young woman whimpered, she had been one of very few who hadn't had problems, well many problems, with Sherlock, and seeing the man getting ready to take his own life made her feel ill.

 **"I told you how this ends." Sherlock's breathing becomes more shaky as he looks down. "Your death is the only thing that's gonna call off the killers", Jim reminds him not even bother to look at him. "I'm certainly not gonna do it."**

 **"** Shut up. Shut up, shut up", John hissed, all he wanted in this moment was to punch Moriarty in his smug little face.

 **Jim turns his head and looks up at his enemy expectantly and Sherlock blinks anxiously.**

 **"Would you give me… on moment", Sherlock begs breathless. "Please; one moment of privacy?" he glances down at Jim. "Please."**

"This is so wrong. He shouldn't have to beg", Donovan whispered.

"He shouldn't have to jump", John growled.

"Okay, calm down everyone. I understand this may not be easy but I have places to be and I'm sick of pausing all the frigging time", Anthea interrupted with a glare.

"Why do you even have the remote?" asked Dimmock but Anthea only smiled sweetly.

 **Jim looks a bit disappointed, as if the fact that Sherlock begged to get privacy before he took his life was fare to ordinary. "Of course." He sighted. Jim moves away across the roof and Sherlock takes several shallow anxious breaths, the suddenly he stops breathing for a moment, like his brain kicks into gear again. He lifts his gaze as his expression becomes more like the one everyone knows and his eyes become thoughtful.**

 **"** Why do I have feeling that he figured something out?" Dimmock asked suspiciously.

"Because it is either that or he have lost his mind", Andersson mumbled. "If you ask me it's the later."

 **Slowly a smile spreads across his face and he starts to chuckle. Behind him, Jim is still slowly walking across the roof but he stops, his expression livid, when he can hear Sherlock laugh with delight. Furiously he spins around.**

 **"What!" he shouts but Sherlock ignores him, still laughing. "What is it?" Jim demands angrily and Sherlock half turns on the ledge, smiling towards him as he glares back. "What did I miss?"**

"Good question, because frankly I have no idea."

"I don't understand, if he figured something out he should be alive", John whispered.

"Maybe they faked his death and run away together", Andersson suggested och Donovan hit him in the arm while glaring at her partner.

 **Sherlock hops down off the ledge and clash his feet together in the jump and almost strut closer to him. "You're not going to do it."**

"How the hell does he know that?"

"He is Sherlock, dear", Mrs Hudson smiled at the inspector.

 **So the killers can be called off, then" he gesticulates with his hand. "There's a recall code or a word or a number", now it's Sherlock's turn to circulate around Jim, almost like a predator circling around his prey. "I don't have to…" his next word is said in a sing-song voice. "… if I've got you."**

 **"** But then why…"

"Maybe he's wrong" Donovan said to John, but she sounded insecure, like she didn't believe it herself.

"Something must have gone wrong… I suspect the video will tell us",

"Of course", Anthea answered while rolling her eyes.

 **"Oh!" Jim laugh in relieved delight.**

"Why does he sound delighted?"

"Because the game just become more interesting"

"How do you know?" one of the people in the back at the room asked.

"I live… lived with Sherlock."

 **"You think** ** _you_** **can make me stop the order? You think** ** _you_** **can make me do that?" he point directly at Sherlock.**

 **"Yes", Sherlock answer still circling him. "So do you."**

 **"Sherlock, your big brother and all the King's horses couldn't make me do a thing I didn't want to."**

 **Sherlock stop and is getting into Jims face. "Yes, but I'm not my brother, remember?**

 **"** Great minds think alike.

"I'm pretty sure he would take that as an insult", despite the fact that this video teared up old wounds that barely had healed and making him depressed, John couldn't help but smile at that fact.

 **I am you – prepared to do anything; prepared to burn; prepared to do what ordinary people won't do.**

"That is true… he did send that American to hospital", Mrs Hudson pointed out weakly

"I guess we should thank our lucky stars that they they weren't working together", Lestrade sighted. "And be quiet Anderson, no one believes that they run away together."

 **You want me to shake hands with you in hell? I shall not disappoint you." His voice was low and dangerous and his eyes promising. But Jim just shakes his head slowly.**

 **"Naah. You talk big. Naah. You're ordinary. You're ordinary – you're on the side of the angels."**

 **"Oh, I may be on the side of the angels", his voice was becoming more ominous for every word he spoke. "But don't think for one second", he puts so much emphasis he can on the word second. "that I am one of them."**

"That is what I said the whole time", Donovan muttered.

"No, you said he was a freak and would become a murderer", John hissed.

 **The enemies look eyes for a long moment as it looks as if Jim tries to deduce how far Sherlock is willing to go.**

 **"No, you're not." He says and blinks, then closes his eyes briefly, and unintentional Sherlock does likewise in a mirror movement. Jim smiles and open his eyes again.**

 **"** Now I'm scared. It looks like they read each other thought" the woman who had liked Sherlock shuddered and John sighed before he explained what they were doing.

"No, just deducing each other, trying to see the next move, like in chess."

 **"I see", he says softly in an insane voice. "You're not ordinary. No. You're me." He hisses out a delighted laugh and his voice become more high-pitched. "You're me!**

 **Thank you!" He lifts his hand as if to embrace Sherlock, but then decide against it and lowers it and offer it to him to shake instead.**

 **"** Yup, I'm calling the psyche."

"You are aware of that this is in the past, you can't do anything", Anthea interrupted in a bored tone without looking up from her phone.

 **"Sherlock Holmes." Both of them look down at the offered hand, then Sherlock slowly raises his own and takes it.**

 **Jim is nodding almost frenetically, though his voice stays soft. "Thank you. Bless you." He blinks and lowers his gaze as if blinking back tears.**

 **"** I think that's the first time anyone says bless you to Sherlock", Donovan sniggered.

"Doesn't matter. Why did he take his life. He has won!" John snarled, he was sick of all interruptions and wanted to know the truth, wanted to understand why Sherlock had done what he did.

 **"As long as I'm alive, you can save your friends; you've got a way out", he continues to blink with his gaze lowered. "Well, good luck with that."**

 **In rapid succession he raises his eyes to Sherlock and grins manically, open his mouth wide and pull Sherlock closer as he reaches into his waistband with his other hand and pulls a pistol out and raises it towards his own mouth. As Sherlock instinctively pulls back, crying out in alarm, Jim sticks the muzzle into his own mouth and pulls the trigger, dropping to the roof instantly. The whole is over in just a few seconds.**

The shouts of 'NO' was overwhelming and every single person with the exception of Anthea looked at the screen in horror

"Now we know why he jumped. He didn't have a choice", Dimmock said gravely while Mrs Hudson broke down and started to weep into her handkerchief.

 **Sherlock stared in horror as blood begun to trickle across the roof underneath Jim's head. Jim's eyes are fixed and open and there is even a smile of victory on his face. Sherlock spins away from him, his breathing loud and frantic as he raises his hands to his head in horror. He is looking around and raises his sleeve to hold over his mouth, still in horror as he turn to look again at Jim's fixed grin. It's oblivious that he is thinking frantically for a while before he slowly turns towards**

 **the edge of the building.**

John drew a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. This was it; the moment Sherlock Holmes took his life… but could it really be called that? Sherlock had been pushed into a corner with no way out without condemning his friends life to death, his only option had been to jump. It was clear that the man didn't want to do it but he had done it for them, to protect them. John couldn't help but feel that they didn't deserve it; Lestrade had allowed Sherlocks arrest and himself had abandoned Sherlock when the man most needed him. Beyond that he also felt ashamed; ashamed for hating Sherlock for jumping. Sherlock hadn't been to blame for this, he was just a victim even if the man would have hated to be described with that term.

 **His breathing is begins to slow down as he steps up onto the ledge, blows out another breath and looks down towards the ground. In the street below is a taxi pulling up. Sherlock takes out his phone and selects a speed dial. The answering phone begins to ring below him as John gets out of the taxi and raises his phone to his ear as he trots towards the hospital.**

"Breath, John, just breath", Lestrade put a hand on Johns shoulder when the man started to have problems with breathing.

"I could have prevented this", the man gasped out between breath.

"Don't be ridiculous, you couldn't have prevented this."

"If I hadn't left… I could have been up there with him, Moriarty wouldn't been able to take his life."

"John listen to me, you went to check up on Mrs Hudson and I promise you that Sherlock was aware of that nothing was wrong with her or he would have been out of the lab before you would have had time to end the phone call", Lestrade promised while he thought back at what John had told him months ago. "Sherlock didn't want you on the roof."

"But…"

"You were his best friend and he wouldn't have put you in danger", Lestrade stressed sternly. "He probably thought he could take on Moriarty and win by himself."

"He would have if he hadn't cared about you… dammit, the freak is human after all", Donovan mumbled.

 **"Hello?" John ask.**

 **"John."**

 **"Hey, Sherlock, you okay?" he ask as he get nearer the hospital.**

 **"Turn around and walk back the way you came now."**

John took a shuddering breath but managed to stay in control and not break down.

 **"No, I'm coming in.**

 **"Just do as I ask. Please." Sherlock ask frantically and is relieved when John turns back and looks around bewildered.**

 **"Where?" he walks back the way he came and when he is exactly where Sherlock wants him, he stop his friend.**

"I was so confused. I never expected…"

"None of us expected something like that happening", Anthea said as she slowly put down her phone.

"Where did you get that from? We took it from you before", Andersson snapped, first now noticing the device.

"And I took it back when you weren't looking. Keeping a suspects things on you while in the same room as said suspects is rarely a good idea", Anthea snorted.

"Who were you texting?" Dimmock took the phone to see, only to realize that he didn't know the code.

"My boss. He is wondering where I am, I did say I was in a hurry."

"Mycroft knows you are doing this?" asked John hoarsely.

"I did need his permission to use this material."

 **"Stop there."**

 **John stops. "Sherlock?" he looks confused without seeing anybody around.**

 **"Okay, look up. I'm on the rooftop." John turns and looks up, his face immediately filling with horror.**

"You started to understand then I guess", Lestrade sighted.

"I suspected but I didn't want it to be true", John admitted in a quiet voice.

 **"Oh god." He says, stalling backward all the while looking up at his friend that is standing on the ledge of the roof.**

 **"I… I… I can't come down, so we'll… we'll just have to do it like this."**

 **"** How can it switch between Sherlock and John like that. How is it possible?" Dimmock wrinkled his forehead.

"Oh, we have cameras on the roof and on the ground, security reasons", Anthea admitted and waved away their concerns.

 **"What's going on?" John ask anxiously, starring at him clearly afraid.**

 **"An apology. It's all true."**

 **"Wh-what?"**

 **"Everything they said about me. I invented Moriarty", Sherlock looks around briefly at his enemy's grinning body lying behind him, on the ground John is staring up at his friend in disbelief.**

"He gave up everything to keep you safe", Donovan glazed incredulously at the screen, she still couldn't understand it. It was the freak; the man that didn't care about anyone else and got off at solving crimes.

"I did say that he was a great man and that he one day might be a good man if we were lucky", Lestrade said with a sad, strained smile. "We just missed that he already had become that."

 **"Why are you saying this?" he ask and Sherlock turns back look down at him, and with a breaking voice he answer the only person that has taken time to really get to know him, breaking down the facade he is hiding behind and not giving up immediately like everyone else.**

 **"I'm a fake."**

 **"Sherlock…"**

"I knew something was really wrong then. Sherlock have never been a fake."

Donovan looked like she was gonna disagree but a sharp glance from Lestrade stopped her.

 **Sherlock interrupt John before he can say anything more, and his voice is tearful.**

 **"The newspapers were right all along. I want you to tell Lestrade: I want you to tell Mrs Hudson, and Molly…in fact, tell anyone who will listen to you that I created Moriarty for my own purposes."**

"Why would he do that? Why not let the truth be known, the only criteria he had to fulfill was to jump", Andersson asked.

"Because he didn't want to chance it. Besides, Moriarty did say that Sherlocks reputation would continue being ripped to shreds in the papers", Anthea answered.

 **"Okay, shut up, Sherlock, shut up. The first time we met…. The** ** _first time we met_** **, you knew all about my sister, right?" John's voice is desperate, like it was vital to convince Sherlock that he believed in him.**

 **"Nobody could be that clever." Despite his words Sherlock had a small smile on his lips, as if he recalled more happily times.**

"But there is no way he could have known everything he told me, even less finding out about it in the time between our first and second meeting", John said

 **"You could." Sherlock laugh choked up and gazes down at his friend, a tear dripping from his chin.**

 **"** He cried!"

"Oh don't sound so surprised Donovan, Sherlock is human even if he sometimes likes to pretend he is some kind of god", Anthea sighed. "Can we just finish watching, I need to go back to my work."

 **"I researched you. Before we met I discovered everything that I could to impress you", he sniffs quietly. "It's a trick. Just a magic trick." John, who has closed his eyes is shaking his head repeatedly at what Sherlock is saying-**

 **"No. All right, stop it now." He start to walk towards the hospital entrance once again.**

"Didn't Mike met you by chance and decided to introduce you to Sherlock… there is no way what that Sherlock didn't deduce things about you."

"I know, that's way I still believe in Sherlock", John whispered.

 **"No, stay** ** _exactly_** **where you are. Don't move", Sherlock says urgently and with his hands raised in capitulation towards Sherlock, John moves backwards again to where he was standing before.**

 **"All right", he says as Sherlock is breathing rapidly and unconsciously reaches out his own hand towards his friend.**

 **"Keep your eyes fixed on me", his voice becomes frantic, he knows that his time is running out, if he want his friends to live, he has to do it. "Please, will you do this for me?"**

"This is so sad… I always thought he chose this, but knowing that he didn't have a choice. This is so wrong, so so wrong", said Morgan.

"Maybe we just should turn it off?"

"No Andersson, you owe it to Sherlock to finish watching it", Anthea said and glared at the man.

 **"Do what?" John's voice is suspicious at Sherlock's request.**

 **"This phone call – it's er… it's my note. It's what people do, don't they – leave a not?" His voice is now resigned, he has accepted his fate.**

 **"** Yeah a written note, not a phone call speaking with your best friend from the top of the roof you are going to jump from, and not infront of said best friend", Donovan protested.

"It isn't like Sherlock had a choice. I'm sure that he didn't want to do that", Mrs Hudson raised her face from her handkerchief.

 **John in the meantime shakes his head and momentarily takes his phone from his ear as the stress of what he's beginning to understand hits him, then he raises it again and speaks in a shaky voice.**

 **"Leave a note when?"**

 **"Goodbye, John."**

 **"No. Don't." John shakes his head as Sherlock gazes down at his friend for the last time for several seconds, then he lowers his arm and drops the phone onto the roof, gazing ahead of himself. At the same time John lowers his own phone and screams upwards.**

John closed his eyes, he didn't need to see this again. He revisited the moment often enough in his sleep. Sherlock's ghost haunted him nearly wherever he went, reminded him of all adventures they had together. He wished that he could cover his ears with his hands but they were occupied with gripping Mrs Hudson shoulders and making sure she was okay.

 **"No. SHERLOCK!" Sherlock doesn't listen and spreads his arm to either side and falls forward, plummeting towards the ground, his overcoat spreading around him as a cape and John stares in utter horror while he mumbled. "Sher…"**

 **After what feels like an eternity, but in matter of fact just a couple of seconds Sherlock's body impacts the ground and the screen fades to black.**

Donovan let out a scream when Sherlock's body reached the ground, and she wasn't the only one that made a noise of fear and surprise. While everyone had known how it would end it was something completely else to see it happen.

"Why did we have to see that?" Morgan asked shakily and glared at Anthea.

"To make you understand that Sherlock didn't take his life", Anthea answered while she took out the disc from the DVD-player.

"I thought you said this was about a murder!"

"It was, Sherlock Holmes was murdered. He may have been the one that jumped of the roof but it was not voluntary. My suggestion is that you make it known that he was innocent."

John finally opened his eyes and looked at the tv without really seeing anything. "Except from that phone call one of the last things I told him was that he was a machine. I was so angry at him because he didn't follow me to check up on Mrs Hudson when I got the call about her being hurt. He obviously knew that it was a bluff and I yelled at him. He died thinking I thought he was a machine."

"Sherlock knew that you just said that in the heat of a moment", Anthea put the disc inside her blazer while she was talking and made a move to leave the room.

"Wait a bloody moment, where do you think you are going?"

"Relax Greg, she works for Mycroft", John said in a low voice.

"Oh great, we arrested Mycroft Holmes assistent", Lestrade groaned, just now realizing what it could mean, while the woman walked out from the room. He just hoped that the man wouldn't try to get some petty revenge for it, they had only done their work after all.

"I fairly thinks that is the biggest problem. What happened to Moriartys body is what I want to know?" Morgan protested.

"Do whatever you want, we are heading home", John said as Mrs Hudson got up from her chair.

"John, are you okay?"

"No I'm bloody not okay, I just found out my best friend was murdered." John took a deep breath as everyone else left the room, realizing they had no reason to be there.

"I'm sorry, we didn't know what she would show us, we were just trying to solve a murder", Lestrade apologized.

"Don't worry, it is Mycroft I'm gonna complain to, he could have warned me", John grumbled. ""How couldn't you recognize Anthea? Or are I the only one Mycroft kidnaps?"

"No he picks me up to, but I'm usually alone in the backseat of the car", Lestrade furrowed his forehead. "You know, Sherlock did change after he meet you."

"I didn't do much, I was just his friend."

"Maybe that was exactly what he needed", Lestrade shrugged. "I'm sorry that we opened up old wounds… Are you still thinking about moving out completely, I know you still have stuff…?"

"Yeah, but I don't know. All this have given me a new perspective at things. Sherlock didn't leave me by taking his life, he saved me, us, and he paid with his life for it. I think I'm ready to forgive him for doing this now, start to really move on."

"That's good, you deserve it", Lestrade rocked back and forth on his feet awkwardly.

"If you excuse me, I have to bring Mrs Hudson back to the flat."

"Don't be ridiculous John, I can get there on my own, I'm your landlady not a patient", Mrs Hudson huffed as she put on her coat. "Be free to visit whenever you want, DI Lestrade."

They left the room and Lestrade was suddenly alone, the only evidence of what had taken place the discarded note on the table. Sherlock Holmes' last case had finally been closed. They now knew why the brilliant man had taken his life, Lestrade only wished that they had realized what a good man Sherlock really had been in the end. He supposed that they had taked him for granted and now they would never get the chance to thank him for what he had done.


End file.
